Statement of the UCLA International Institute on the revised executive order

A statement by the leadership of the UCLA International Institute on the revised executive order.

March 6, 2017STATEMENT OF THE UCLA INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE ON THE REVISED EXECUTIVE ORDER

The UCLA International Institute is committed to its public mission of education and scholarship about our diverse and interconnected world.

We, the leadership of the International Institute, are deeply concerned by President Trump’s second Executive Order (EO) on the temporary suspension of visas to six Muslim-majority nations and temporary suspension of the U.S. refugee program. Issued March 6, 2017, the new EO revokes the previous order of the same name, “Executive Order Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States,” dated January 27, 2017.

The EO of March 6th halts the issuance of visas to the United States for 90 days to nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. People from those countries with valid visas issued prior to March 16, 2017, will be allowed to enter the United States. The order also suspends the U.S. refugee program for 120 days. However, in contrast to the previous executive order, it does not indefinitely ban refugees from Syria, nor does it preference religious minorities from the six countries. The EO also lowers the number of refugees that the United States will accept in 2017 from a projected 110,000 to 50,000.

Legal immigrants to the United States from the six countries in question who have a green card are specifically exempted from the order, which goes into legal effect on March 16, 2017.

The undersigned believe that the new EO continues to constitute cultural and religious discrimination in practice and that it directly challenges the promotion of international research and academic exchanges. Such exchanges are vital to the intellectual vibrancy of U.S. universities, long held to be the world’s leaders in higher education. Such exchanges have greatly enriched our faculty, students, staff and communities. Scholars and students from abroad are among the top talents in this country — individuals who have contributed to advancing science, the humanities, arts, social sciences and above all, a global perspective that is essential for the United States to remain competitive in the world.

The International Institute has long welcomed faculty, scholars, students and staff who have joined our community from all over the world, including the affected six countries. We are committed to helping those among us impacted by the EO. Toward that end, this article on our website publishes a statement and guidance by the UC Office of the President, plus useful resources. (The article will be updated as we receive new information.)

For the United States to remain a global leader in education, innovation and research, it is critical that we welcome and learn from scholars and students of all nationalities. Moreover, for our students to become effective leaders and productive citizens, it is critical that they have an informed understanding of our world and of global issues. The EO prevents the open exchange of knowledge and seriously undermines the core values not only of our universities, but also of our democracy. We urge the White House to renounce this policy immediately and refrain from instituting any future such initiatives.

Sincerely,

Cindy Fan
Vice Provost for International Studies and Global Engagement
Professor, Department of Geography
Professor, Department of Asian American Studies